Answer These Three Questions Before You Return to a Former Employer

I’d like to think I have a unique perspective on what it means to be a “boomerang” employee. I’m a boomerang myself, having returned to Infosys in 2010 after eight years away. And, as head of global recruiting for Infosys, my team and I have rehired many former Infoscions.

Experience has taught me that candidates considering a return to Infosys have different priorities and expectations when compared to those of applicants who would be new to the company.

On the one hand, potential boomerangs have the benefit of their previous experience to help them decide whether to come back; on the other, companies (and colleagues and managers) do change, so boomerangs can’t necessarily expect to stroll right back into the same situation they once had. And most important, boomerangs are likely to be at a different stage in their career and have different expectations than they did the first time around.

If you’re considering a return to a former employer (whether Infosys or another company), give careful thought the following three questions and you’ll be well on your way to making the right career decision. And do please note, only you can answer some of these questions; for others, you’ll need clear and candid feedback from your recruiter or hiring manager.

1.) What are your reasons for considering a return to your former company?

Answering this question is all about establishing your priorities and being sure that what you want is aligned with the new position, the company, and its values.

How you answer this question will be unique to you, of course, but to help you kick off your thinking, please allow me to share some of my priorities when I decided to return to Infosys 11 years ago.

During my first stint with Infosys, we became a billion-dollar company (in annual revenues). The company was growing fast and had made a name for itself in India and internationally, but what was most important to me was that Infosys was never content to rest on its laurels. The ethos of the company was, “We’ve achieved some great things, and we should be proud, but what’s next? How can we continue to exceed expectations and evolve and grow as an organization?”

During my first tenure with Infosys, I always felt that my own experience reflected that of the company at large. My manager was open to new ideas and possibilities, and when anyone on the team (myself included) approached him with some promising new thinking, his first reaction was to figure out a way to make it happen. That was the kind of experience I wanted to recapture in my return to Infosys in 2010, and I discussed that with the people who would be my peers and superiors to be sure that my expectations were in line with theirs. I’m proud to say that 11 years later, both my team and the company retain that “What’s next?” spirit.

The takeaway: Your priorities today may be similar to what they were when you were last with the company, or they may be entirely different; either way, it’s essential that you first know what you want from taking a new position with your former company before going very far in the interview process.

2.) If you return to your previous employer, will you be in a better place to advance career journey?

Having answered the first question, you have a good idea of what you want from a new position with your old company. Now it’s time to decide whether going back to your former employer will help you get what you want.

First, a word of caution: Ask yourself if one of your top motivations for returning to a former employer is because it feels comfortable or safe. For many potential boomerangs, it’s an unconscious reason, so it’s smart to examine your motivations critically, from all angles, and be sure you really understand your own thinking.

I give this warning because experience has taught me that boomerangs with well-defined, affirmative reasons for returning are usually happiest with their decision. Take what you learned about yourself from answering question no. 1 and talk candidly and in depth with your hiring manager and your peers about whether the position and the company can help you meet those goals.

Again, I hope sharing some of my own experience will help you decide how to approach this question for yourself.

After eight years away from Infosys, working for several companies, I came to the realization that I wasn’t learning or stretching myself to the extent that I wanted to. I was being recognized for what I had accomplished, but I wasn’t being asked to do more.

So, when I began speaking with the team at Infosys, I thought carefully about what I wanted in terms of not just a new position, but also overarching opportunities and expectations.

In the last 11 years, I’ve been fortunate to have the opportunity to go outside my comfort zone and lead Infosys’ hiring and recruiting for Europe, establishing a new presence for the company in multiple countries. I’ve also managed recruiting and hiring in the United States, and now I lead the company’s global recruiting efforts. I wouldn’t have been able to name those as specific roles I was aiming for when I rejoined Infosys, but I did make sure that in coming back to the company, I’d have the opportunity to strive for new and challenging roles.

The takeaway: As a potential boomerang, you’ll want to have a solid idea of what’s possible when you return. It’s a good idea to perform your due diligence and be sure that you can realistically expect to pursue your career goals in a new position with your former company.

3.) Is the company prepared to support your specific needs as a returning employee? If so, how?

From the perspective of companies like Infosys, rehiring former employees is a top priority. Bringing in boomerangs broadens the talent pool. Returning employees bring new experience and skill sets back with them. And boomerangs can get back up to speed faster.

However…

Hiring a returning employee is the relatively easy part. The challenge lies in ensuring that boomerangs thrive in the weeks and months after they return. That’s why forward-looking companies put processes and programs in place to meet the unique needs of returning employees and ensure a smooth reentry back into the company.

Below are a few examples of how Infosys’ recruiting, hiring, and onboarding processes are tailored for former employees:

• Streamlined interview and hiring process: We already know the candidate, so we make it easier for them to be rehired.
• Focused recruiting programs: We want to make it easier for women who have left the workforce to return when they’re ready, so we make it a point to let former women Infoscions know they’re always welcome to return.
• Onboarding processes tailored to returning employees: Infosys managers at all levels are trained in how to onboard and coach returning employees, especially in their first few months back on the job.
• Creating and communicating a level playing field: When a former employee returns to Infosys, we found that—quite understandably—current staff might wonder if the returning employee will receive special treatment. We train managers to explain and demonstrate our policies that ensure no employee, current or returning, has any advantages or disadvantages over another. It’s a level playing field.

The takeaway: Talk in depth with your hiring or reporting manager about how they, specifically, onboard returning employees and how the processes differ from those for new first-time hires. Ask about company-wide programs or processes designed for boomerangs. You may even want to refer to this article from LinkedIn News , about a U.S. study of 31,000 employees who returned to their former employers—with underwhelming results. Ask if they have the kinds of proactive processes that prevent those kinds of outcomes.

Closing thoughts

It’s your decision, of course, whether to return to a former employer. I hope this blog will help you make a fully informed decision that’s right for you and your career goals.

I hope this blog also gives you some idea of why companies like Infosys give so much thought and attention to former employees—in short, it’s because we want you to keep us front of mind on your career journey. If you’re a former Infosys employee, login or join the Infosys Alumni Community today. You can view job opportunities customized for your experience and skills. You can also connect with former colleagues in our exclusive alumni network. Please stay in touch.